


In a Different Lifetime

by mewgirl1995



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Light Angst, Love Confessions, M/M, Obi-Wan Needs a Hug, Oneshot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-17
Updated: 2018-04-17
Packaged: 2019-04-24 10:00:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,551
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14353173
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mewgirl1995/pseuds/mewgirl1995
Summary: At the end of a long battle, Obi-Wan and Cody go for a walk and discuss what life may have been like without the war.





	In a Different Lifetime

It was cold, but not unpleasant. The freezing temperatures served as a distraction. They allowed Obi-Wan's mind to think of other things beyond the war. He wondered how the animals were doing in such a frigid climate and strained to remember whether that particular planet was always cold. With a quiet hum, Obi-Wan swallowed down another gulp of the Corellian brandy he had brought along during that particular campaign. It burned, serving to fog his mind and dull his senses further.

The quiet sound of the tent's flap being drawn back snapped Obi-Wan out of his thoughts. He glanced over to see Cody stroll in, still fully in his armor. "General," he said, standing firm at attention. "We have successfully eradicated the last of the Separatist army that was planetside and General Skywalker-"

"Please not now." Obi-Wan lowered his head into his hands and let out a trembling sigh. "I don't want to think about the war now."

Obi-Wan heard Cody shift and felt his worry bleed out into the Force. He heard the quiet sound of Cody's helmet unlatching and glanced up, watching as Cody looked to the half-empty bottle of brandy. His lips drew into a sharp disapproving line as he walked over, setting his helmet on the table. Before Obi-Wan could speak, Cody stepped closer to him and reached out to take his arm, undoing the clasps on his bracer.

"You shouldn't leave your armor on all night, sir," Cody said softly.

Obi-Wan nodded and closed his eyes, focusing on the warmth of Cody's hands as he undid the latches and clasps, pulling off each piece of plastoid. He worked meticulously and placed the armor aside, closing it in one of Obi-Wan's chests. Then after a moment, Obi-Wan heard Cody begin to take off his armor as well.

"Decided to relax, Commander?" He asked with a mischievous tone.

Opening his eyes, Obi-Wan watched as Cody carefully set his armor aside, shoving it just barely out of sight. He met Obi-Wan's gaze with an even stare, clearly trying not to shiver. Obi-Wan poured another glass of the brandy and stood, walking over to offer it to Cody. There was clear hesitation on his face even as he took it. Then, Obi-Wan walked around him, opening another chest to pull out one of his spare cloaks.

"Sir, you don't have to-"

"We're off-duty, Cody," Obi-Wan said as he wrapped the cloak around his shoulders. "Do you remember what I said?"

"Thank you, Obi-Wan," Cody said with a reluctant smile. He slipped into the cloak, pulling it tight around himself before downing the brandy in several quick sips. Obi-Wan chuckled, turning to pour him another glass.

It almost seemed normal. If they hadn't been in a standard GAR issued tent, then it would have appeared to be a scene of two friends having an evening drink together. With a heavy sigh, Obi-Wan sat down again, leaning his head back. He didn't have to look over at Cody to know that he was being watched with a concerned gaze. Few people knew exactly how much of a toll the war took on Obi-Wan. Cody was one of those unlucky few.

"It was starting to snow," Cody said, drawing Obi-Wan's attention again. "But the stars are still out. We could go for a walk."

"That sounds lovely," Obi-Wan said as he stood. Cody finished his second glass of brandy and followed Obi-Wan out.

The pair strolled close together, not speaking as they wandered away from the ships and tents. They walked until they passed over a hill and everything around them was wilderness. Obi-Wan stared up, watching the stars with a curious look. They shone bright and many of the constellations were familiar despite the fact they were out on an Outer Rim planet.

"I couldn't see the stars most nights on Coruscant," Obi-Wan said. "And even when I could, they were blurry and unfocused. They didn't shine bright like this."

Cody said nothing. He continued watching Obi-Wan with the same worried expression.

"What would it have been like without this war?" Obi-Wan said as his steps slowed to a stop. "How would we have met?"

"I wouldn't exist if-"

"Indulge me, dear Cody."

After a moment's hesitation, Cody swallowed and nodded. He glanced away, eyes sharp as he thought. It was an endearing expression, one that Obi-Wan had grown to know well. It was nice to see it without discussing various battle strategies.

"I imagine we would have met on Coruscant," Cody said, glancing back to meet Obi-Wan's gaze.

"Why?"

"Well, that's where the Jedi Temple is, where everything important in the galaxy happens. I imagine that you would be doing something heroic, but stupid, and would drop your lightsaber."

With a small grin, Obi-Wan chuckled. "Then you would return it to me? That's how we would meet?"

Matching Obi-Wan's grin with a smile of his own, Cody nodded. "Yeah. I couldn't see it happening any other way." He glanced away and then said softly, almost so quietly that Obi-Wan couldn't hear him, "I remember when I first saw you."

"On Coruscant?"

"No, on Kamino."

Surprised, Obi-Wan tilted his head, watching Cody's expression soften in the starlight and flurry of snow. He looked back to Obi-Wan and smiled. It was such a gentle expression, one Obi-Wan was not sure he had ever seen on Cody's face. It made his heart flutter in a way Obi-Wan had rarely felt.

"I had never seen another human besides a brother before, so your face stuck out in my memory. I watched you talking to Lama Su as you toured the facility. Imagine my surprise when I was assigned to the 212th. I didn't actually think I'd ever see you again."

"Well, I suppose my handsome face does leave an impression?" The alcohol had certainly loosened Obi-Wan's tongue and he relished in the flush that crossed Cody's face. "Enough of that though, tell me more about our imagined meeting on Coruscant."

With a sharp nod, Cody said, "Maybe I'd be down on one of the lower levels, running an errand and I'd see you chasing some criminal. An assassin maybe?"

Obi-Wan nodded and let himself imagine the scenario. He had certainly been apart of several high-speed chases through the lower levels of Coruscant. It was busy and would have been near impossible to make out individual faces, but in this imagined universe, he would have seen Cody.

"Your lightsaber gets knocked out of your hand and plummets. I grab it without a second thought."

"Then, I heroically disarm the assassin with the Force and incapacitate them before racing down to go retrieve my weapon?"

A cocky grin crosses Cody's face and he nods. "Skywalker would be with you. He'd mock you for losing your lightsaber."

At the same time, both Cody and Obi-Wan made a terrible impression of Anakin saying, "This weapon is your life, Master."

Laughing, Obi-Wan shook his head and looked up at the stars. The snowfall had decreased down to a gentle flurry. "I would thank you and then we would be off to finish our important Jedi business without a second thought." It was sad that in their imagined world, Cody would be nothing than a passing face.

"No," Cody said with a firm shake of his head. "We'd keep running into each other. I'd be apart of the Coruscant Security Force and we'd see each other again when you were put in charge of protecting the Senate from some terrorist threat." He continued, staring ahead as he spoke, "You'd make some remark about politicians and I'd agree, surprised that a Jedi would be so bold."

"Then, we'd meet again when the terrorists finally did attack and you'd save me with a strategically planned blaster shot."

"I'd tell you that we had to stop meeting like that."

"But how else would we meet?"

Cody turned, fully facing Obi-Wan. His cheeks were red from the cold and his eyes were soft. "Maybe that wouldn't be how we'd keep meeting."

"No?" Obi-Wan asked, curious about the new path their other selves might have taken.

"Maybe I'd finally get the courage to ask you out to a dinner at some cheap restaurant in Coruscant, the only place I could afford on a GAR stipend."

"Security Force stipend," Obi-Wan said, quick to correct him. Cody lowered his eyes, letting out a quiet breath. Disappointment swirled around him in the Force. "Would this be a date?"

"What else?"

"A meeting between friends," Obi-Wan said. "At least, that's what I would interpret it as."

"And I would be too cowardly to correct you, sir."

Turning, Cody pulled the cloak tight around himself as he brushed past Obi-Wan. He was clearly headed back to camp, but Obi-Wan didn't want to go. He felt panic leap up in his throat and without thinking, he reached out to grab Cody's wrist. Everything around them seemed to stop. Only the sound of their breathing cut through the night's silence.

"Then what?" Obi-Wan asked.

"I don't know." Cody didn't pull away, but he didn't turn to look at Obi-Wan either. He stared firmly ahead, tense in Obi-Wan's grip.

"I think that I would realize your true intentions," Obi-Wan said. "It would take me a while, but I would understand. Perhaps we'd be out on a walk and the realization would hit me." He shifted, tugging gently on Cody's wrist in order to ask him to turn back. He complied, watching Obi-Wan with a guarded expression though his hope swirled in the Force. "I would be confused. I wouldn't understand why anyone would ever want me."

Cody's eyes widened and he stepped forward, crowding into Obi-Wan's space. "Because you're a damn hero," he said softly. "Because you-"

Frustrated, Cody shook his head and twisted his hand to grab Obi-Wan's wrist in order to pull him closer. He curled his other hand around the back of Obi-Wan's neck and pulled him into a kiss. Obi-Wan sunk into him, eyes falling shut as he relished in the warmth. Their kiss was not gentle. It was rough, filled with every unspoken feeling between them. Obi-Wan's grip on Cody's wrist tightened as his other hand weaved around to pull him deeper. It didn't feel so cold anymore.

When they broke apart, both panting, Obi-Wan leaned his forehead against Cody's. He felt Cody's fingertips trailing along the inside of his wrist before he pulled free enough to curl their fingers together. "But even in that universe I am a Jedi," Obi-Wan whispered. "And I-"

Cody cut Obi-Wan off with another kiss, pressing close against him as he wrapped his fingers in Obi-Wan's hair. "Let's imagine a different world." He pressed kisses down Obi-Wan's jaw, nuzzling his face into his beard. "One where you're not a Jedi."

With a contented hum, Obi-Wan nodded, closing his eyes as Cody kissed down his neck. "In this world where I'm not a Jedi, how do we meet?"

"Doesn't matter," Cody said. "All that matters is this. How we first-"

"You fall in love with me first," Obi-Wan said, shivering, but not from the cold. Cody's hand came down to curl around his waist, pulling them even closer together.

"I do," Cody said. "I watch you from afar." He kissed Obi-Wan hard before continuing, "And I see the kind of man you are. The kind to always put others before himself. The kind that is so recklessly selfless that it borders self-destructive."

"I'm-"

 "You shine like the sun. Everything pales in comparison to you and all I want is to be by your side, even if you never see me."

"But I do," Obi-Wan said, voice soft. He reached up to stroke Cody's face, trailing a finger over his scar. "I see that you are a good man. A man that is brave and kind. A man that I don't deserve."

"Don't," Cody said. His tone was low and dangerous. "You deserve the galaxy, Obi-Wan." His lips were warm, but dry and rough from the cold. It didn't matter because all Obi-Wan wanted was to keep kissing him, to keep feeling those lips against his and against his skin. "I wish I could give it to you."

"You've already given me this," Obi-Wan said. "And it's more than I would have ever expected, much more than I deserve."

Somehow they made their way back to the camp. All of the lights were extinguished and Obi-Wan doubted that a single clone was awake except for whichever poor soul was chosen to keep watch. The tent was only a little warmer than Obi-Wan remembered before they left for their walk. He let Cody push him back down onto the cot, craning his neck up to kiss him as they both fumbled to push the others' cloaks aside. It was a bad idea. Obi-Wan knew that he should have put a stop to it, but they were at war and he was tired of fighting everything whether it was the Separatists or his own feelings.

The cold air stung Obi-Wan's bare skin as both his and Cody's clothes were flung to the ground. He glanced up, meeting Cody's expression. His eyes were wide, suddenly unsure, as he trailed his hands down Obi-Wan's chest. With a smile, Obi-Wan sat up and kissed him, curling his hands around Cody's shoulders to pull him closer, into his lap. He felt Cody's nervousness humming in the Force.

Nuzzling his face into the crook of Cody's neck, Obi-Wan smoothed his hands across his back. He massaged the tight muscles there, smiling as Cody leaned into his touch. "It's just us," Obi-Wan said, pressing kisses up Cody's neck and jaw until he reached his lips. "Just us."

"Obi-Wan," Cody said before kissing him again, wrapping his fingers back into Obi-Wan's hair.

"Oh, Cody."

In a thousand different lifetimes, a thousand different galaxies, it would always be them. They would find each other and be together, side by side. Obi-Wan had faith that it was true. Perhaps that was why it stung so much that the one galaxy he found himself in wouldn't allow him to remain by Cody's side. The war could tear them apart just as easily as it brought them together. Their lives could end in an instant and even when the war was over, Obi-Wan would return to the Jedi Temple. He would return to his true life as a Jedi Master. Before that happened, they decided to just live out the possibilities.

In the morning, it was still cold, but Obi-Wan had Cody pressed up against him, warming him enough for it to still be pleasant. He hummed quietly, stroking his hand absentmindedly across Cody's hair. Outside, he could sense the rest of the 212th getting up and starting to pack up. They would leave that planet behind and go on to the next battle. The next part of the war. He sighed and forced himself to pull away to get dressed. It wasn't until he was beginning to fasten his armor that he heard Cody stir.

"You should get dressed, Commander," Obi-Wan said. "We need to depart soon." He didn't need to turn around to see Cody's expression. His disappointment and heartbreak echoed into the Force, hitting Obi-Wan hard enough that it nearly made him gasp.

"Yes, sir."

**Author's Note:**

> As always thanks for any kudos and comments!


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